A 1991 Pinnacle Award ChapterA 2008 Superior Merit Award Chapter

SHRM Foundation - Chapter ChampionMonthly Newsletter

December 2009D E C E M B E R P R O G R A M

Look What'sInside!

Welcome New Members! ... 2

Legal Q&A ........................ 3

From the President ............ 4

Government AffairsUpdate ........................... 5

December MeetingSponsors ....................... 6

Student Chapter Update ... 8

CRHRA Holiday ToyDrive ............................. 8

Tips for OnlineNetworking .................... 9

Video Blog: Tips for JobHunters Going Viral! .. 10

Meet the Member ............ 11

Diversity, Inclusion &the Holidays ................. 12

How to Find ValuableRecertification Credits . 13

HR Leadership ClassNews ........................... 14

Photos from NovemberLegal Update &Dinner Meeting .......... 15

SHRM Foundation ......... 17

Chapter Chatter .............. 17

Join CRHRA at our Annual HolidayLuncheon to hear about this excitingtopic. Although experts are sayingthat our economy is recovering fromthe recession, many businesses are stillaffected by the tough economy. Ourpresenter, Jack Gottlieb, President ofThe Total Solutions Group, Inc., willhelp us understand how to drive a cul-ture focused on results while engag-ing our workforce in the value theycan provide.

To foster that type of transformation,we will redefine how people createvalue within an organization so thatwe can leverage our full capability andCore GeniusTM. We will leave with thecapability to drive immediate valuefrom our people and where to startover the next 90 days. We will learnhow to drive a more relevant and clearplan towards aligning ourorganization’s capability with the ex-ecution necessary to drive consistentresults. We will also understand whatthe critical success factors are to suc-ceed and how we can drive distinctvalue internally and externally intoday’s tough economic climate.

Our presenter, Jack Gottlieb, is the

It’s About The Results We Want,Not The Initiatives We Plan

Survive and Thrive in Turbulent TimesThrough Greater Capability & Performance

President of the TotalSolutions Group, Inc.which is a strategicconsulting and train-ing firm committed todriving a sustainableincrease in results,profitability and rel-evant engagement

through the enhancement of theirpeople, processes and strategy. Theprimary focus of the firm is forginglong-term partnerships with organiza-tions and individuals in order to ensurecapability and performance throughareas such as Organization Develop-ment, Strategic Planning, Leadership,Change Management and BusinessGrowth. A few of their clients include:Microsoft, Comcast, Ortho-McNeil,Janssen Pharmaceutical, Investors Sav-ings Bank, iCIMS, CentraState Fitness& Wellness, The Federal ExecutiveBoard and the GSA. They have drivenover $35 million in ROI to their clientsin business growth, cost reduction andefficiency. This is through their com-mitment not to do training but creat-ing real results.

Jack Gottlieb

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BOND, SCHOENECK & KING, PLLCATTORNEYS AT LAW NEW YORK FLORIDA KANSAS

B S & K

BS&K L abor and

Employment L a w B r i e f i n g S e r ie s

Solving the HR PuzzleDECEMBER 7, 2009

Downsizing, Rightsizing, Reductions-in-Force:

A Rose by Any Other Name is Still Employment Loss

JANUARY 19, 2010 Drafting Effective Internet and Electronic Workplace Policies –

Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace

FEBRUARY 26, 2010 How the Obama Administration

is Changing the Landscape for Employers

The Desmond Hotel 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Register online at www.bsk.com

BS&K Clients: $25; General Public: $30Additional information at www.bsk.com

Questions? Contact Ms. Toko Moyo at BS&K at tmoyo@bsk.com or 1-800-339-8897.

These programs are intended for the invited guests of Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, who reserves the right

to deny admission to any applicant.

To his clients, Jack brings over 10 years of corpo-rate business experience. Prior to starting TSG, Inc.,Jack was a Strategic Consultant with Dale CarnegieTraining. His primary focus was on corporate salesand delivering customized solutions for his clientsin the areas of leadership & business growth. Healso spent time as a director for a sports marketingfirm where he lead communication strategies andevent marketing campaigns to drive brand recog-nition and business growth for their clients.

Jack also serves on the Executive Board of the Col-legiate Empowerment Company, Inc. His focus ison growth strategy and leading both client deliv-ery and R&D. Jack also is actively involved inKutztown University as he was recently appointedto the CoB (College Of Business) Advisory Board tosupport their efforts in further development andexpansion. He also is involved with Rider Univer-sity with their Center for the Development of Lead-ership Skills. Jack received his Bachelor of Sciencefrom Kutztown University in Marketing/Manage-ment with a concentration in I/O Psychology. Heand his wife, Jennifer, reside in Jackson, New Jer-sey with their first child, Allison Faith Gottlieb, whowas born earlier this year on January 16th 2009.

Welcome New Members!Welcome to the new CRHRA members who havejoined our organization as of November 2009!

Pam Beaudoin .................. New Horizons ComputerLearning Center

Katie Cronen ..................... Kitware, Inc.Stephanie Dones ............... JanitronicsJudi Frey ............................ Living ResourcesChristine Harvey-Berry ... Northwestern Mutual

Financial NetworkAnne Johnson ................... GTM Payroll Services IncKevin Johnson .................. NY Long Term Care BrokersJamie McCauleyPattie Nachtrieb ................ Chris’ Coffee ServiceCrystal RosekransJonathan SajanDan Schuth ....................... GTM Payroll Services IncTalor StruckmannMark Ward ....................... Amsterdam Printing

PROGRAM(Continued from previous page)

3

Sanjeeve K.DeSoyza

Question: Must New York employers have “just cause”to terminate an employee?

No, New York remains an “employment-at-will” ju-risdiction, meaning that employers may terminateemployees at any time for any (legal) reason, withor without notice. That being said,an employer who can satisfy themore stringent “just cause” stan-dard with respect to its disciplinaryactions (including terminations)will be well-positioned to success-fully defend those actions shouldthey be challenged down the road.

The “just cause” standard is gen-erally understood to be comprisedof seven factors: (i) notice; (ii) rea-sonableness; (iii) investigation; (iv) fairness and ob-jectivity; (v) proof; (vi) equal treatment; and (vii)appropriateness of the penalty. Relevant consider-ations for each factor include:

1. Notice: Was the employee on notice of the rel-evant rule and the possible consequences for vio-lating it? To that end, employers should con-sider whether employees have been made awareof the rule, either through a handbook or manualand/or through posting in the workplace, andif not, whether they should be. Bear in mind,there are some rules and standards that requireno publication (e.g., theft or assault), but othersare far less obvious (e.g., specific timekeepingrequirements).

2. Reasonableness: Was the rule or work order rea-sonably related to the orderly, efficient and safeoperation of the business, and the performancethat the employer might properly expect of theemployee? The rule should not be arbitrary innature nor should there be any evidence that itwas unreasonably enforced against only certainemployees.

3. Investigation: Before imposing discipline, did theemployer investigate to determine whether theemployee did in fact violate the rule in questionor commit misconduct? Once it has learned ofthe alleged violation, an employer should con-duct a prompt, thorough and fully-documented

investigation into the matter.

4. Fairness and Objectivity: Did the employer con-duct a fair and objective investigation? An em-ployer will be expected to have interviewed allwitnesses involved and reviewed all relevantdocuments and other evidence before making afinal decision.

5. Proof: Did the employer’s investigation uncoversubstantial evidence that the employee had vio-lated the rule in question or committed miscon-duct? While absolute proof is not required, anemployer must be able to persuasively demon-strate why its investigatory findings supportedthe disciplinary action taken.

6. Equal Treatment: Has the employer applied itsrules and penalties consistently, treating similarlysituated employees in a similar manner? Thus,before making a final decision on the level of dis-cipline to impose in response to the present vio-lation, an employer should review how it hasdisciplined other employees in the past for simi-lar infractions.

7. Appropriateness of the Penalty: Does the pun-ishment fit the crime? In other words, was thelevel of discipline reasonably warranted by theseriousness of the offense and the employee’s pastrecord? In cases of termination, the rule viola-tion or misconduct must be a terminable offense,either standing alone or when taken togetherwith the employee’s past record (including allprior disciplinary actions).

An employer that can answer the foregoing ques-tions in the affirmative will be in a good position tosuccessfully defend the decision to terminate shouldit later be litigated.

The information contained in this column is not intendedto be a substitute for professional counseling or advice.

Sanjeeve K. DeSoyza counsels and represents employ-ers in a variety of labor and employment related con-texts and is associated with Bond, Schoeneck & King’sAlbany office. If you have a question you would like tosubmit, you are encouraged to do so by email(sdesoyza@bsk.com), phone (518-533-3206), or fax(518-533-3299).

Legal Q&A... Sanjeeve K. DeSoyza, Esq.

4

From the President ... Michele Wilkes-Hawkins, PHRYour Officers & Boardof Directors 2009-10

PresidentMICHELE WILKES-HAWKINS, PHR

Tailwind Associates

Vice PresidentTRACY SPARGO, PHR

Pitney Bowes Business Insight

SecretaryMIRIAM DUSHANE, PHR

Linium Staffing

TreasurerTHOMAS McKENNA

McKenna & Associates/OI Partners, Inc.

Past PresidentALISON ROSENBLUM, MBA

Strategic Resources, Inc.

DIRECTORSMARJORIE A. ADAMS, PHR

Women's Employment & Resource Center

DEBRA ANTONELLI, SPHRDelark HR Solutions

KELLY CONROYClearView Center, Inc.

LAURIE DELONGBall Corporation

HARRY HAYES, JD, PHRJaeger & Flynn Associates, Inc.

CARYN LAFLECHE, PHRCKL Consulting

MARTIN PATRICK, SPHR

DENNIS RYAN, SPHRNPA Financial Services

CATHLEEN SMITHFirst Niagara Financial Group

SARA DELANEY VEROBond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC

CHRIS WESSELL, PHRBonadio Source HR

CHAPTER ADMINISTRATORCARLA KRZYKOWSKI

1450 Western Avenue, Suite 101Albany, NY 12203

(518) 463-8687

MicheleWilkes-Hawkins

The Holiday season is upon us andthe spirit of giving is in the air.

At our November meeting weraised money for Equinox in sup-port of their Thanksgiving dinnerand the SHRM foundation. We willcontinue our commitment of giv-ing at our December meeting bycollecting unwrapped gifts for Toysfor Tots and by hosting anotherraffle to benefit the charity and thefoundation. We hope you will sup-port our efforts to help our localcommunity charities throughoutthe program year.

Our November Legal Update anddinner program was well attendedby over 100 professionals. Our pre-senters from the Bond, Schoeneckand King Albany Office provideda detailed explanation in educatingus on recent employment law de-velopments. Our special guest forthe day was our SHRM EasternRegion Director, Susan Post, SPHR,CAE. Susan joined us in our effortto promote our chapter to localSHRM members who are not yetCRHRA members.

In October the Board of Directorscompleted our strategic plan for2010-2012. From among thechapter’s primary objectives, weidentified as a top priority to in-crease the engagement of our cur-rent and new members. We hopeto accomplish this by organizing asocial eventdedicated to net-working withpeers; improv-ing our orienta-tion for newmembers; rede-signing memberpackets; creatinga “buddy sys-tem” for newmembers to en-

sure they will becomfortable at-tending theirfirst meetingand will get top e r s o n a l l ymeet othermembers andmake mean-ingful con-nections. Supporting ourmembership is a continuing prior-ity of our organization.

Other primary objectives includemaximizing the usability of thewebsite and the tools available;making better use of membershipdata to improve our overall effec-tiveness; increasing the number ofeligible HRCI accredited programs,especially for strategic credits,through partnerships with otherorganizations and using our tal-ents to enhance our communityinvolvement during these tumul-tuous economic times. We plan todeliver on these objectives duringthe 2010-2012 membership peri-ods. As always, your ideas andinput are welcomed.

I hope to see you at our AnnualHoliday Luncheon on December16th.

Wishing you all a very HappyThanksgiving!

5

AGENDA

Harry Hayes

2009 Government Affairs Update

New York Department of LaborIssues New Wage & Hour Law Form Wednesday, Dec. 16

Annual Holiday LunchHoliday Inn, Wolf Road, Albany

Registration ... 11:00-11:30 a.m.Lunch ... 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Program ......... 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Menu:• Buffet

Cost:• $25.00 - Members• $30.00 - Non-members• $10.00 - Students

Please make your reservationonline (www.crhra.org) or bymail (CRHRA, 1405 WesternAvenue, Suite 101, Albany,New York 12203), or fax (463-8656). You may pay with anonline credit card payment, bymail or at the door. Also, pleasebe sure to check-in when youarrive.

RESERVATIONS and cancel-lations are required by noon onFRIDAY prior to the meeting.Reservations made and notkept will be billed to you.Please call CRHRA at 463-8687.

We regret that we are unable tohonor walk-ins on the day ofthe meeting. Casual attire is ac-ceptable.

By Harry Hayes,Government Affairs Chair

Director, Human Resources,Jaeger & Flynn Associates

The New York Department of La-bor has issued a form that employ-ers are required touse to meet theirobligation as ofOctober 26 to no-tify hourly em-ployees of wagerates and pay-days and to re-tain a writtenacknowledgementsigned by the employee. The formis on the NYDOL website and hereare the links to follow (you wouldnever find it on your own). SelectWorkplace Safety from the mainpage left side, then the link “pro-tect workers” in the first sentenceon the page that opens. From theOnline Services menu on the leftside of the page, select Wage &Hour Laws and then under “NewLabor Law” you’ll see a link to aNotice and a Form. There is noposting requirement yet and it isexpected that NYDOL will soonissue separate forms for exemptand commission sales employees.Stay tuned.

With every increase in the mini-

mum wage, NYDOL typically is-sues a “Minimum Wage Order”which includes other related man-dates, many of which have beenaround for a while. The most re-cent Minimum Wage Order, is-sued in July, 2009, contains a sec-tion on “call-in pay” which gener-ated lots of phone calls and e-mailsrecently among our committeemembers. Call-in pay refers to asituation where an employeeshows up ready and able to workand the employer (the power isout, the building burned down,etc.) is unable to make any workavailable. Under that scenario, theemployee may (and we stress“may”) be entitled for that workweek to “call-in pay” of a mini-mum of four hours at the basicminimum hourly wage. The pro-vision for call-in pay appears in aregulation found at Title 12 of theNew York Codes, Rules and Regu-lations, Section 142-2.3.

At the last CRHRA Board meeting,our committee name was changedto Government Affairs . Thechange brings us more in line withSHRM and other state chapters.

For more information pleasecontact Harry Hayes athhayes@jaegerflynn.com or 373-0069 x.128.

Save the Date!March 25th is our CRHRA

One Day Conference

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December Meeting SponsorsLinium

Linium is your local leader in providing recruitmentsolutions through a full suite of staffing services. Ourproven methodology allows clients’ access to a talented,diverse candidate pipeline unmatched in the indus-try.

Our proactive approach incorporates experience, in-dustry rela-t i o n s h i p s ,communityinvolvement,education and state of the art technology to meet ourclient’s cultural and business needs.

You can count on Linium; our reputation is built onadhering to the highest standards of recruitment andethics with a unique ability to find the “missing piece”.

Our Recruitment Practice Areas:

· Information Technology

· Scientific

· Engineering

· Administrative Services

· Accounting/Finance

· Human Resources

New This Year:

Service Package Solutions- now our clients can pickfrom an all inclusive customizable menu of services tofit any requirements and price point. This new menuincludes options on the guarantee period, choice offee and services desired.

Learn more about Linium: http://www.linium.com/staffing/!download/preview.html

Contact Us:Miriam Dushane, PHR - Branch Manager187 Wolf RoadAlbany, NY 12205Phone: 518-689-3138Fax: 518-689-4881Email: miriam.dushane@linium.comWeb: www.liniumstaffing.com

NPA FinancialAt NPA Financial, Inc., our professional special-ties encompass the eight areas of financial servicesthat our clients tell us are important to them, theiradvisor and their families:

· Retirement Plans

· Life Insurance

· Trust and Estate Planning Strategies

· Investments*

· Fringe Benefits

· Disability Income Insurance**

· Business Continuation

· Long Term Care**

NPA Financial, Inc. is a primary resource to otherprofessional advisors in accounting, legal, bankingand trust services, and we welcome the opportu-nity to work together.

CRHRA Member Dennis Ryan, SPHR, is a Finan-cial Advisor with NPA, focusing on providing so-lutions in Employee Benefit & Executive Compen-sation plans for companies of all sizes, as well asFinancial Planning* for high net worth individu-als.

*Securities and investment advisory services are of-fered through Registered Representatives and Invest-ment Adviser Representatives of Equity Services, Inc.A Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser,Member FINRA/SIPC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 100,Clifton Park, NY 12065, 518-688-2223. NPA Finan-cial Inc. is independent of Equity Services, Inc.

**Long Term Care and Disability insurance are avail-able through National Life representatives who are in-dependently contracted with one or more insurers whoprovide these types of insurance contracts. Long TermCare and disability insurance is not underwritten norissued by National Life Insurance Company.

7

November MeetingCo-Sponsor:

Strategic ResourcesLast month, Strategic Resources, a faithful sponsor ofCRHRA for years, was a co-sponsor of our monthlymeeting. However, due to a mistake on our part, thenarrative acknowledging them as a sponsor and de-scribing their services was left out of the newsletter.We are sorry for this oversight and humbly apologizeto Alison, Peter, Belva and Michelle. – Chris Wessell,CRHRA Sponsorship ChairStrategic Resources is a locally based full-service re-cruitment firm with long standing business rela-tionships with Capital Region employers. Byp a r t n e r i n gwith compa-nies to pro-vide qualifiedemployees fordirect hire,temporary, and contract positions, we have dem-onstrated our commitment to the local workforce.

In the current economy, employers are looking forcreative solutions to cut costs, while maintainingthe level of operations that will continue to positiona company with a competitive edge. By hiring tem-porary or contract employees you can staff up ordown directly to reflect your business cycle. Thisallows you to maintain a quality workforce and payonly for time actually worked: one day, one weekor longer.

Our specialty areas range from IT to administra-tive across a broad spectrum of industries. With afocus on quality, integrity and diversity, we take acollaborative approach to fully understanding eachclient’s company, culture and requirements.

You can contact Alison Rosenblum and PeterNewman at: arosenblum@strategic-resourcesinc.comand pnewman@strategicresourcesinc.com. Thephone number is 446-1700.

We encourage you to visit our website atwww.strategic-resourcesinc.com to review our mis-sion and vision statements, and to learn more aboutus.

8

Student Chapter UpdateBy Kelly Conroy, Student Chapters Chair

Human Resource Administrator, ClearView Center, Inc.

The Student Chapter Committee assists students in de-veloping their professional skills and increasing theirknowledge of the Human Resources (HR) field. Someof the HR areas for students to choose as a career pathmay include: Compensation and Benefits, Recruiting/Selection, Labor Relations/Legal, Em-ployee Relations/Performance Manage-ment, Training & Development, and HRInformation Systems. Currently, the Stu-dent Chapter Committee offers:

· Mentorship Program (includes jobshadowing): The HR Mentoring Pro-gram is designed to foster stronger pro-fessional one-on-one relationships between students andHR professionals. The program offers a structured set-ting where seasoned professionals can build studentawareness about the HR profession and assist studentswith developing the skills necessary in order to be suc-cessful within the HR field.

· HR Internship Opportunities- can be accessedthrough the CRHRA webpage.

· Speakers: Assist college students with access toCRHRA professionals to speak at student-organizedevents and/or in the student classrooms.

Looking for volunteers! The committee is looking forprofessional volunteers to participate in the mentorshipprogram. There are students eagerly waiting to partici-pate in the program to gain valuable knowledge andthe ability to network with a mentor. We are also look-ing for a volunteer to speak about international busi-ness and marketing at The College of St. Rose. If youare interested and/or have any questions, please con-tact Kelly Conroy at students@crhra.org.

CRHRA Holiday Toy DriveBy Jim Amanatides, SPHR

HR Manager, Tyler’s VersaTrans Solution

Many families in the Capital Region this year willnot be able to afford to celebrate the holidays. Un-fortunately, many children will be impacted by this.CRHRA wants to help make the holidays better forthese children. We will hold a Holiday Toy Drive atthe December luncheon to benefit the SalvationArmy of the Capital Region.

The Salvation Army will help 500families along with 1500 childrenduring the year-end holidays by giv-ing out Holiday dinner food pantrybags to these families. Without thesupport of the Salvation Army, thesefamilies would not be able to celebrate Thanks-giving, Kwanza, Christmas and Hanukkah.

Below is a list of toys that are needed. Please bring anew, unwrapped toy to the luncheon. We will havea space set aside to collect these and the SalvationArmy will collect and distribute them. Because ofour collaboration, we can help the Salvation Armystretch its $1 million annual budget even further tohelp more families. To learn more about the Salva-tion Army and how you can help, visit their websiteat www.salvationarmycapitalregion.org or contactFelix Perez, Director of Development, 368-1518, e-mail: perezf@nycap.rr.com. Thank you, in advance,for your donation!

2009 Holiday Toys Needed

Infants – 18 monthsAny type of stuffed animal or soft toy – nothingwith small parts; rattle sets; large key sets

2 – 4 years oldSesame Street foam board books; large-piece puzzles;building blocks; stuffed animals

5 – 10 years oldGirls - stuffed animals, dolls, tea setsBoys- match box toys, cars/trucks of any type,sports stuff – footballs, basketballs, etc.Either - drawing/art sets, card games (Uno, etc.)

11 – 17 years oldGirls – jewelry, watches, perfume, body wash, etc.,cameras (not expensive ones), pursesBoys – duffle bags, sports stuff, watches, cameras(not expensive ones)

Kelly Conroy

Experience our brand of better banking.

Offer Capital Communications Federal Credit Union as a free employee benefi t.Call Steve Fehervari at 458-2195 ext. 3205 or e-mail us at busdev@capcomfcu.org.

Jim Amanatides

9

By Kerry Douglas-Duffy, PHR

Research indicates that one of the most effectiveways of finding out about employment opportuni-ties is by getting leads from people you know, thatis, by networking. Today Human Re-source Professionals not only have tra-ditional methods of networking suchas membership in professional organi-zations like CRHRA and attendingmeetings, but also a rapidly growingworld of opportunity in online socialnetworking.

Social media websites such asFacebook, Linkedin, and Twittermake it easier to connect and reconnect withfriends, family, former colleagues, former employ-ers, classmates, neighbors, professional associations,alumni associations and more. With online sitesyou can search for corporate groups, pages andpeople.

On Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/, youcan connect and share with people in your life, pastand present. Once you set up a Facebook pageyou can write what you are up to, search for peopleand groups to expand your networks, respond tofriends and post pictures. You will be surprisedwho you will find, who is working where, and whoknows who and can give you some leads and em-ployment ideas.

Although Facebook began as a non-business-ori-ented social network, more and more businesseshave facebook pages and use social networks toreach a greater audience. This helps them markettheir services, search for and research potentialcandidates, and even track current employees. Asa result, whether you are on social websites for busi-ness or pleasure, always set up a profile and emailaddress that is professional and use discretionwhen posting pictures and comments. Everyonehas access and anyone can read what you write orview pictures you post.

Linkedin, http://www.linkedin.com/, is a busi-ness-oriented site that can help you expand yourprofessional networks. Treat it as your onlinerolodex. You can search for people, find contacts

within an organization, find company profiles, joinspecial groups like CRHRA and SHRM, invite col-leagues and business associates to join your net-work, ask to be introduced to your trusted net-works’ contacts and develop inside connectionswithin companies of interest. Forget about 6 de-grees of separation, you will be amazed at the num-ber of potential contacts you will have all within 3degrees.

Whether you are using Linkedin to network for anew employment opportunity or to expand yourbusiness connections, make sure your resume is upto date, you have completed your online profile, al-ways stay professional, and use keywords.

Still wary about taking the online plunge? Linkedinoffers free webinars on how to use their site suchas, Linkedin 101: The basics of Linkedin, and JobSeekers: Tips for using your LinkedIn Account tohelp you land your next great opportunity. This isa great way to get acquainted with the site and maxi-mize your online networking potential.

Another popular site is Twitter, which is a real-time short-messaging micro-blogging service. It letsyou keep in touch with people following the simplequestion “What are you doing now?” You can fol-low real time discussions, receive ground breakingnews, as well as send messages and receive updatesfrom friends and other connections. These mes-sages are also known as tweets.

For effective networking, take time to build youronline brand and market yourself. CRHRA mem-bers can also begin by reading HR related blogs.This will help you stay up to date. Then you canstart posting thoughtful, well written and profes-sional comments, which will enhance your cred-ibility as a knowledgeable member of the humanresource field.

Visibility creates opportunity, so be persistent. Ac-cording to Keith Ferrazzi in his book Never EatAlone, 80 percent of building and maintaining re-lationships is just staying in touch, or “pinging”,and pinging takes effort.

In this economy, professionals rely on searching for

Workforce Readiness Committee

Ping & Tweet: Tips for Online Networking

KerryDouglas-

Duffy, PHR

(Continued on next page)

10

people with possible leads rather than openings. Agreat way to conduct a comprehensive peoplesearch online is to use sites such as, Wink, Peekyouand Pipl.

While most of the people you meet through net-working may not know of a new opportunity foryou, talking to them, or in this case writing aboutyour search can help you clarify your goals andhone your interviewing skills. The people in yournetworks can also give you emotional support andoffer feedback on your resume.

When you network on or off line, remember thefollowing basic principles:

Be prepared!

Start networking with a purpose, research who willattend an event, conference or be online and willuse the website you are logging into. Have busi-ness cards ready to hand out and resumes ready toemail.

You can network anywhere!

Standing in line, at the hair salon, waiting for yourcar to get fixed, etc……

Stay organized!

Keep a log or journal of who you have contacted

Follow-up!

Write thank you notes, follow-up on conversationsand online discussions.

What goes around comes around!

Pass along information you have acquired thatmaybe helpful to someone else, in turn others maydo the same.

For additional social networking sites you may wantto check out the following: Ning, Xing, Ziggs,Zoominfo, Naymz, Ziki, Claim ID, Orkut, Xanga,Myspace, Gobinetwork, Slideshare, Flikr, Alltop,Groups.google, Tpix.net, Meetup, Bolt, Jigsaw,Plaxo, Doostang, Listal, and Ryze, Ecademy.

Kerry Douglas-Duffy, PHR, is a Workforce ProgramSpecialist with the New York State Department ofLabor. For additional information you can contactKerry at kerry.douglas-dufy@labor.state.ny.us

NETWORKING(Continued from previous page) Video Blog – Tips for

Job Hunters AreGoing Viral!

By Marisa Trembler,Linium Staffing

Social Networking is certainly not a new trend,just one that keeps getting better with time. Youmight be tweeting about promotions your com-pany is having, congratulating an employee onFacebook for landing a huge client, or even brush-ing up your LinkedIn profile with updates on pro-fessional activities or recommendations of col-leagues. However, YouTube might truly be thelast frontier of Web 3.0. Linium Staffing is forg-ing that frontier as it rolls out its new candidateoutreach effort called “Rookie Recruiter.”

This short weekly installment features their newbierecruiter “leaking” tips and tricks to job huntersfrom inside sources, also known as recruiters. Thegoal is to give entry level to executive level candi-dates the current and most up-to-date informa-tion on how to write a rock star resume, knockan interview out of the park and land that dreamjob.

The “Rookie Recruiter” is gaining popularity inclasses at Siena College and with other regionalusers, and will soon be featured on Zapoint’shomepage – a new job board/ATS website. Tunein to the latest installment at www.youtube.com/liniumstaffing

CRHRA Newsletter CommitteeCommittee Chair – Caryn LaFlecheNewsletter Editor – Diane LustenaderPhotographers – Paul Riley and Mario PecoraroEvent Calendar – Peter JonesCommittee – Dan Jacobs, Marisa Trembler, and RickMarchant.Volunteer Opportunities – We welcome volunteerswho are interested in volunteering for the newslettercommittee. To submit an article or to join the News-letter Committee, please contact us atnewsletter@crhra.org.

11

Meet the Member: Christopher PatrieBy Daniel A. Jacobs, Feature Writer

Newsletter Committee

Christopher Patrie, a father of three, will turn tohis wife, whom he calls his best friend, if he’shad a bad day. After recently sitting downwith Chris, I get a strong feeling that rarelyoccurs. He speaks with a real sense of excite-ment and optimism when discussing his posi-tion as the Director of HumanResources for Janitronics. Hewould not want to attemptany other profession. “I’mhere. This is where I want tobe,” he says. “I report to thepresident. I‘ve seen the boss’job and I don’t want it. I’vebeen the president before. Idon’t want it. This is it.”

Janitronics, founded in 1972,is the nexus of outsourcing and consulting forcleaning, maintenance, engineering and facilitymanagement. With a focus on deliveringquality cleaning services and dedication tocleaning for health, Janitronics provides facilitiesservices to office buildings, schools, colleges,health-related facilities, industrial plants, shop-ping centers and private residences. As Direc-tor of HR, Chris handles all human resources,recruiting, benefits, and development. He isalso responsible for standardizing the operationof their branches to most closely resemble thestructure he has set for Albany. “We’re pre-pared and that’s exciting,” he says.

A blue collar worker, with an eye towardsupper management, Chris began his careerworking in the warehouse for Price Chopper, aGolub Corporation. After spending a numberof years in this role, he was offered a long termtemporary assignment. Within a few months,Chris landed his first human resources job inthe distribution center, with an emphasis onlabor relations. He has been employed withsuccessful corporations and even operated hisown business for 5 years, while admittedlybeing motivated by financial incentives, but isquick to state that is not what drives him. He is

motivated by people. “The biggest kick I get iswatching people, sharing with people andguiding people,” he says. “Watching themgrow and running into them years later-seeinghow they progressed and realizing their suc-cess-if I had a part in that…if I can touch onthat…that’s the biggest kick I get in HR. Whenpeople are doing well and we’ve satisfied theirneeds, to management development, that’s thebiggest kick. That’s really what turns me on,organizational development - it’s just a thrill.”

I asked Chris what he enjoys most about theposition he has now held for three and a halfyears. Without hesitation, his answer was“working for a growing organization and itsphenomenal owners (the Harris family) thathave assembled an impressive team.” He says,“It’s important to me, more than it ever hasbeen, that there’s a fit, a common thread andshared values. I wouldn’t do it, if it wasn’t agood fit. It has definitely been the highlight ofmy career.”

His advice for anyone interested in getting intohuman resources or any field for that matter, islearn your business. He says, “learn the businessthat your in and determine how you can helpthem achieve their goals. That’s where yourwork comes from; that is what is so nice aboutworking at Janitronics. There are a lot ofresources available to me. My impact is seen ona daily basis and that’s really fun. It’s a greatspot to be in.”

Chris is active in many professional organiza-tions and in the community, but the one he ismost proud of, is the time spent on the BusinessAdvisory Council for Northeast Career Plan-ning. As an original member, he is upbeat andlaudable about the opportunities and level ofservice they provide to area businesses and theirconsumers. “It’s my favorite organization. It’soutstanding,” he says.

When away from the office, Chris enjoys spend-ing time with his family on Otsego Lake, fishingor just relaxing. That’s where he does his bestthinking.

Christopher Patrie

12

By: Fannie Glover

Politically correct used to mean sending out greetingcards that read “Happy Holidays”but today celebrat-ing an inclusive work place is more than changinglabels and titles. Celebrating inclusiveness is more aboutusing the holiday celebration to be with friends andfamily to build awareness about others.

It is important to remember that more than ten mil-lions of Americans do not celebrateChristmas religiously, either asfollowers of non-Christian reli-gions (Buddhists, Muslims, Hin-dus, and Jews) or as individualswith no religious affiliation.

Decorating Dilemmas

Employers often wonder whatkinds of decorations are recom-mended for the office and at par-ties. “Displaying a Christmas tree and garlands doesnot violate any federal law,” Dianna Johnston of theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)Office of Legal Counsel told SHRM members duringa December 2007 SHRM web chat. “However, put-ting up symbols of other seasonal observances, atemployees’ request, is good management practice,”she added.

When it comes to decorations, Johnston said, the lawmakes a distinction between public areas of the work-place and individual work stations not accessible tothe public. “In general, in private work stations em-ployees should be allowed to display religious symbolsto the extent that employees are allowed to displayother personal objects,” she said. It is up to the em-ployer to determine the kinds of displays it will allowin public areas, but she says it’s a good idea to be in-clusive.

“When determining whether and how to decoratethe workplace for holidays, it is important for employ-ers to be thoughtful and sensitive to the complexitiesof events with religious [or other protected basis] con-notations,” Naomi C. Earp, EEOC chair, told SHRMmembers in an October 2006 SHRM chat.

“Employers who choose to permit holiday decorationsshould be as inclusive as possible and should respect

the many diverse beliefs and customs held by theiremployees,” Earp continued. “Employers should alsounderstand and respect the fact that some employeesmay choose not to display holiday decorations.”

An employer can accommodate employee religiousbeliefs only if it knows there is an issue, Johnston noted:“As a legal matter, however, unless you as a managerknow that a display is religiously offensive, the em-ployee has an obligation to inform management, andmanagement can decide the appropriate response.”

Party Practicalities

It is possible to allow employees to mark their holidaysas they see fit while keeping the business legally com-pliant and the non-observant employees comfortable,according to Dr. Joel Rudin, a professor of manage-ment in the Rohrer College of Business at RowanUniversity, Glassboro, N.J. For example, he suggestscompanies start by considering whether the holidayparty is mandatory and whether there are any re-wards for attending that employees won’t receive ifthey don’t attend.

“If so, it’s a mistake to include overtly religious sym-bols or statements at the holiday party,” Rudin saidin a press release.

To minimize the likelihood of religious discomfort,Johnston recommends including as many employeesas possible in planning an office event. A diverse groupwill be better able to suggest a menu that will takeinto consideration a variety of dietary needs. “Oneway to be sensitive to these concerns is to make surethat ham is not the only main course [ham is prohib-ited for observant Jews and Muslims], and that thereis at least one vegetarian dish,” Johnston said.

Although the burden for requesting religious accom-modations rests with employees, an inclusive employerwill be prepared to respond to such requests in a re-spectful manner.

Inclusive Invitations

Johnston said employers should emphasize inclusionand tolerance in any written communication relatedto an organization’s holiday activities.

This includes the invitation itself, which should be

Diversity, Inclusion and the Holidays

(Continued on next page)

13

written to take into consideration the perspective ofsingle as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender(GLBT) employees.

Many companies have yet to make their holiday par-ties a welcoming event for gay and lesbian employ-ees, according to Littler Mendelson, an employmentand labor law firm. “It may take additional planningand consultation, but with the proper strategies busi-nesses can support these [employees] the same waythey support straight couples at work events,” saidJaffe Dickerson, a senior shareholder of the firm andco-chair of its Diversity Council, in a press release.

Here are a few extra things employers can do to maketheir workplaces more inclusive during the holidays.

* Learn about the different holidays and understandtheir unique practices and significance.

* Seek the input of a religiously diverse group of em-ployees to plan any office holiday celebrations.

* Pay attention to the December Dilemma. Silencedoesn’t necessarily mean co-workers aren’t feelingisolated.

* Make sure your holiday party isn’t a Christmasparty in disguise. Decorations and food should begeneral, and not specific to any religion.

* Consider having a New Year’s party instead of aholiday party. This type of party can get everyoneon board with the company’s mission and visionfor the New Year.

* Be respectful of these special dates, and plan eventsand meetings around various holidays.

* Display a multi-cultural calendar to help all employ-ees stay aware of important cultural events for therest of the year.

* Be sensitive to those who don’t celebrate any De-cember holidays, such as atheists and Jehovah’sWitnesses.

* Be flexible with the needs of different employeesabout religious or holiday celebrations.

* Encourage employees to share their celebrationsthrough stories, decorations, and foods that theycan bring to their workplace.

Sources: SHRM.org Rebecca R. Hastings, SPHR, is edi-tor/manager of SHRM Online’s Diversity Focus Area

DIVERSITY (Continued from previous page)

Martin Patrick

By Martin Patrick, Certification Chair

As companies continue to work their way out of thenational recession and certified HR professionals seekthose valuable recertification credits, inexpensive semi-nars, webinars and other training sometimes can bea tough find. There are, however,two national companies that provideconvenient low cost and/or compli-mentary sessions that are worth ex-ploring:

ELT, Inc. specializes in Ethics andCompliance training and coverssuch topics as Code of Conduct,EEO and Wage & Hour webinars. Theyalso have a blog where questions and information areshared. For more information, check out webinar@elt-inc.com or call (415) 962-3424. Special thanks to cer-tification class facilitator, Valarie Ruff, SPHR for pass-ing along this lead.

Mindleaders offers a highly diverse array of onlinetopics, all with recertification credits available –

· Leadership*

· Finance*

· Workplace Environment*

· Project Management

· Business Ethics

· Business Management

· Management Skills

· Managing within the Law*

· Coaching*

· Motivation

*videos available

Recertification credits range from 1.0 to 22 with a to-tal of 150 credits available. This includes strategicmanagement credits. Go to www.mindleaders.comor call 800-223-3732 for more details.

Also, start looking for what has been promised as anew, improved and a much more user friendly HRCIwebsite starting in 2010. Happy Holidays!

How to Find ValuableRecertification Credits

14

By Ralph LaMontagna, PHRParsons Child & Family Center

CRHRA’s HR Leadership group meeting in Novemberat Albany Medical Center (AMC) was held in the newoffice building on 22 New Scotland Avenue.

The day began with an ice breaker provided by PamSilkowski, SPHR and HR Director from Parsons Childand Family Center, which listed acronyms of laws thatHR staff must be aware of in our service to staff. Ourgoal was to name the laws or legislation represented bythe acronym. The list went from ADA to WHCRA(Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act). It was a greatreminder and made us think of just how many changesin legislation have occurred, in just this past year, thatpertain to Human Resources.

Bruce Wilhelm, VP of HR at Bassett Healthcare inCooperstown gave a sometimes “tongue in cheek” over-view of his path to leadership. Bruce recently resumedhis HR career after serving as CEO of one of the Bassettfacilities, which gave him a very different perspectiveas a customer of HR services instead of a provider. Heexplained how human resource legislation and policieshave impacted the health care system in both positiveand negative ways. His main message was “don’t fallon the sword for the policy.” A good HR professionalmust be able to use good judgment in policy decisionsand be less procedurally driven. People come to us toget real needs met and we must use judgment in help-ing them meet their needs. One must also be preparedto document the legitimate business need if you make adecision that is out of line with the policy.

New staff orientation is a main function of HR in thehealth care industry and this was highlighted in a paneldiscussion by Pam Silkowski, Bruce Wilhelm and SandraJ. Castilla, SPHR from AMC. Each shared details of theirorientation programs which are designed to meet thestringent requirements of accrediting bodies such asJCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation ofHealthcare Organizations). JCAHO sets specific stan-dards for care and safety that must be implemented dailyin order for a health care program to receive accredita-tion and hence funding from the government. Specificcompetencies and skills are needed by staff and are an-nually evaluated using a competency assessment atAMC.

Unfortunately, due to containment policies related tothe H1N1 flu, our general tour in the hospital was can-celed. In lieu of our tour, we had a discussion of howtwo top customers at AMC use the HR function. LynneLongtin, RN, one of four Nurse Directors, shared herdecade of experience in foreign recruitment of nurses

from the Philippines and working with all nurses in theCenter to provide quality service to patients. She relieson HR to “partner (with her) to make the best decisionfor the employee and the agency.” Issues she workswith HR on include assisting nurses from the Philip-pines to pass state licensing exams and adapting to thetechnology in the hospital, plus keeping good nurses ingeneral. She is happy with HR service during her 25years with AMC because HR “responds to a crisis whenI need an HR question answered.” Lynne explained thatat AMC she doesn’t hear the HR team say, “I will get toyou tomorrow.”

Ed Potyrala, Nurse Manager of the ED (Emergency De-partment), with 37 years of dedicated experience atAMC, noted the decentralization of the recruitment func-tion several years ago as a key to success in the ED staff-ing. “Managers prefer choosing their own employees.”It is hard to tell if the employee has the skills or will fitinto the culture of service if only HR is involved in thehiring process. He is also proud to state that AMC hasone of the few EDs that employs new nursing gradu-ates because of its unique programming to support them.

Catherine K. Halakan, SPHR, Senior VP, Human Re-sources at AMC, in our arm chair discussion, gave thisadvice regarding a key trait for a successful HR profes-sional: “Listen with your heart.” One should keep ask-ing questions to get to the root cause of an issue, such aswhy an employee is leaving, and not settle for “lookingfor a better job.” Good HR professionals are good at“root cause analysis and what really caused the issue.They must then be able to create and implement a planover time to deal with the root cause, whether a short-term or long-term plan.”

Cathy noted that HR professionals cannot learn the ap-plication of HR practice in a book, but instead learnthrough experiences as you continually apply knowl-edge and skills. The learning builds from what the pro-fessional has experienced. HR professionals must havea “high risk tolerance when applying policies” and“can’t be afraid to make a decision.” One will neverhave all the information needed to make a decision. If amistake is made then you must ask what was learned.You may have made the right decision and your orga-nization, at that point in time, was not ready for it andit was rejected. One must be patient, even if you knowthe agency needs to move in a direction and know howto blend experiences to move the agency in the desireddirection. She recommends Good to Great from JimCollins as a good read for HR professionals.

This session was very rich in perspectives and experi-ence from top HR executives and from the leadershippartners HR serves.

HR Leadership Class News

15

Photos from Legal Update and Dinner Meetingon November 11

16

Disability IS Diversity:

Tapping into the Talents of New Yorkers with Disabilities�

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17

Come Join Us atthe Upcoming

CRHRA MeetingsJanuary 13 .........Dinner Meeting

Holiday InnCEO Panel

February 11 .......Breakfast MeetingHoliday InnBreakfast Buffet

March 25 ...........One Day Conference &Marketplace Holiday Inn

April 14 ..............Dinner MeetingHoliday InnDiversity CommitteePanel

May 12 ...............Breakfast MeetingHoliday InnStrategic PlanningWorkshop/SeminarBreakfast Buffet

June Date TBA ..Dinner MeetingHoliday InnBoat CruiseAnnual Meeting, Volun-teer Recognition

SHRM Foundation

25/50/25 RaffleBy Alison H. Rosenblum, Past President, CRHRA

Principal, Strategic Resources

THANK YOU to our attendees who participated in our monthly25/50/25 raffle.

We raised a total of $204!!!!

* 25%, ($51), will be donated to the SHRM Founda-tion.

* Another 25%, ($51), will be donated locally to the40th Annual Equinox Thanksgiving Day Com-munity Dinner in Albany.

* Finally, the big winner of 50% ($102) this monthwas Lisa Olsen from Jerry Brown’s Auto PartsCenter. This was Lisa’s first CRHRA dinnermeeting, and we hope it was a great way tobe welcomed to our association.

The feedback regarding keeping part of the raffle proceeds local hasbeen a huge hit! We will continue holding the monthly raffles in thisformat and will communicate the upcoming charity in each newsletter.

In December, we will supplement the efforts of the ProgramCommittee’s Toys For Tots Drive with a cash donation from the raffle.

Please participate and win holiday spending money!

Finally, a special thanks to Michele Losardo and Katie Garippa of theStudent Chapter committee for assisting with the coordination ofthe raffle.

Your support of the SHRM Foundation and our community is verymuch appreciated.

AlisonRosenblum

Chapter ChatterAccreditation NewsJudy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS, CRHRA member, wasawarded the Human Capital Strategist designation byHCI. HCI defines global excellence and establishes thestandards for the cutting edge business science of stra-tegic talent management. White, the Founder of TheInfusion Group, LLC, holds dual accreditation SPHRand GPHR.

New FirmRose Miller, Chris Wessell and Craig Fluty, CRHRA mem-bers, have started Pinnacle Recruiting & HR Solutions.Pinnacle is servicing all former clients of Bonadio Group’s“Source HR” practice, which was spun off to form thenew independently owned firm.

HRCI Website Advisory BoardDennis Ryan, SPHR, NPA Financial, Inc., CRHRA BoardMember & Website Chair, has been named to the HRCIWebsite Advisory Board. This board will be working onthe planned makeover of www.hrci.org .

MarriageMichelle Pyan, President of Commercial InvestigationsLLC and CRHRA member, was married on October 17at Eagle Crest Golf and Banquet Facility to Bill Wigand.The couple honeymooned in Pebble Beach. In case you’rewondering, Michelle is keeping her maiden name.

We are always collecting news about our members for ourChapter Chatter column. Please submit information now forour next CRHRA newsletter, click here.